Indicator.



ssamm-www1.

M .I L,

Patented Aug.`16,1910.

v INDICATOR.

PPLIUATION FILED 23.24, 1908.

A. E. .REDIPEK W w3 J. @mmf .j l w ASE.- DIFER.

INDIGATOR.

PPLIUTIN FILED APE. 24, 1908. A Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

Illlz llllllllllllllllllllllllill11111111 l w r unrrnn sra'r freier vcaricia.,

ALBERT EDWIN REDIFEI, 0l? MANELA, PHILXQIPINE ISLANJS.

INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

resented ang. ie, raro.

Application :filed April 24:, 1905i. Serial No. 429,085.

To all whom it may concern.'

1 automatically indicate the name of the street or station which the vehicle is approaching.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a station indicator of simple construction and primarily adapted for electric control, the construction pro\'id` Fig. 8 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. i is a section on line 4-4 o'l Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5---5 of Fig. l. Fig. (3 is a diagrammatic view illllsirntingthe means for energizing the apparatus from an overhead trolley. Figs? illustrates the trolley pole and offset 'Contact shoe for use with the apparatus. Fig. 8 is a plan of a portion of a trolley wire showing one of the Contact sections. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic View, showing the contact :tor the apparatus in the use of the short rail. or bonded rail construction. Fig. 10 is a plan showing the oli'set contacts of a bonded rail construction.

Referring particularly to the accompany-T ing drawings, my improved indicator coniprises a casing 1, preferably of cylindrical form and having aace plate 2 hinged to the body of the casing` at 3, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Secured wit-hin the casing l is a, frame including :ibase 4, and side'members 5, bet-Ween which members and supported on the base 4is arranged the main operative parts of the structure.

Mounted in the' relatively forward por- -tions of the-side members 5 of the frame, in

alinernent vertically of the casing, are ribbon shaft-s 6 and 7, the former being sup-- ported in the upper portion of the frame and the latter in the lower portion. Secured upon each of these shafts is a drum S, upon which is Wound a ribbon 9 bearing characteristic dat-a indicative of the information to be distributed in the operation of the apparatus. rlhe traine members 5 areeach provided With forward extensions 10 in alinenient With the respective shafts 6 and 7, and in said extensions are mounted` idle rollers 11, over which the ribbon passes in operation, said idlers being so located relative to the forward face 2 of the casing as to maintain the ribbon in parallel relation to and .immediately adjacent said face. Upon each of the shafts -6 and 7, adjacent .each end, is iixed a gear to'insure operation of saidshafts, the gears 1Q; at the same end of the shafts bein@ designed to be operated when Winding the ribbon in one direction, and the gears 13 at the opposite endsfoi the shafts being designed to be operated in feed-- ing the ribbon in the opposite direction. Each frame member 5 in rear of the ribbon shafts and at apoint about .midway between said shaft-s is formed with a bearing 14., in which are mounted stub shafts l5 and 1o respectively. Secured upon the respective stub shafts are gears 17 and 18, the former being designed to engave both 'gears 12 upon the ribbon shafts While the latter is designed to engage both gears 13 of said shafts. The respective gears 17 and 18 engage both ribbonshaft gears as described, being at all times in mesh with said gears and thereby operating the ribbon in either direction, in accordance with the direction of rotation of the particular master gear. Each stub shaft l5 and 16 is further provided beyond the gear with a ratchet 19 and 20, whereby power is im arted to the master gears in a manner to e described. Supported upon the base l of the frame, beneath the respective'ratchets 19 and 20 are arranged solenoids 21 and 22, beingr preferably disposed in independent pairs beneath each ratchet. The coresv 23 of the respective solenoids of each pair are con nected vat their upper ends byl a transverse strip 24C, which carries an arm 25 to which is pivoted a pawl 26, adapted to en age and operate the particular ratchets over ying the solenoids. The terminal of the'arni 25 is v inclined into parallelism with the normal lisposition of the pawl, and' is thereby adapted to form a rest for a spring 27 bearsolenoid 2l will tend to revolve the ribbon spools in one direction, while the operation of the solenoid will tend to revolve said spools in the opposite direction. .As obviously both spools may not operate simultaneously, means must be provided whereby to control the ,apparatus through the particular pawl desired. For this purpose I mount in the casing l, adjacent each of the respective pawls, rods 30 and 3l, the former of which is provided at its upper end with a laterally extending 'arm designed to rest between tlie'pawl 26 coperating with the ratchet 19 and said ratchet: whereby in operation the arm 32 will withdraw the pawl from operative relation to the ratchet and prevent its influence upon the' ratchet in the energization oi the particular solenoid. The rod 3l is formed at its upper end with a gear designed to engage and operate a gear rack 34, which in turn is connected with an arm 35 pivotally sui'iportcd upon a portion of the traine and disposed at its free end between the pawl 2G and the ratchet 20. @poration of the rc'd 3l will, therefore, control the position of the particular pawl 26 and so the movement of the ribbon in the master gear 18. Rods 30 and 3l, project. beyond the casing 1 and are provided with operating handles or heads 3.6,' the casing being also preferably provided with distinctive signs 37, as Down and Up it'or signalizing the condition of the apparatus and which of the rods is to be used inthe next succeeding operation.

, The ribbon 9 bears suitable data indicative of the stations or streets forming st ops for the train or par, these stations being airanged upon the ribbon in' succession and being so spaced relative to each other that the movement of the ribbon under the iniluence of the particular master gear ,when operated by the movement ol the ratchet, will move into display position a particular sign and at the same time eiiectively con- `ceal the preceding and succeeding signs.

The particular sign in display position on lthe ribbon is visible through an opening 38 formed in the face 2 of the casing and preferably closed by a strip of transparent material di), as glass. rl`lie face of the casing is further provided above the opening 38 with a vsecond glass protected opening 40, the horizontal` edges of which are provided on the inner suriace of the face 2 with reversely disposed flanges 41 adapted to slidyably receive and retain in position to be visible through the opening 40, a sign 42 carrying information relating vto all o the signs on the ribbon, as Next stop. Above the opening the face plate is formed with another glass protected opening 43, thc cylindrical walll of the casing in rear of and beyond the side walls of the opening 43' being provided with depending guides 44, in which is slidably mounted a sign plate 4:5., one edge of which is formed with gear teeth 46 to be engaged by a gear 47 carried on a manuallyoperable shaft 4-8 mounted in the wall of the casing and projecting therebeyond to provide for operation. Through operation of the shaft 48 the plate 4:5 is elevated or lowered in the guides 114, thereby disposing one or the other of the signs carried by this plate, which signs in the particular instance shown indicate the direction of travel of the vehicle, as Up or Down.

The respective solenoids are energized from a main conductor e9 leading through a switch 50, from which extend branch conductors 51 and 52 in turn controlled by single switches 53 and 54, and leading through saidswitches to posts 55-56, which are respectively in electrical connection with. the solenoids noted. From the solenoids lead conductors 57 which are connected and grounded through a conductor 5S, a branch circuit 59 including a bell 60 being connected iii the solenoidcircuit so as to sound the'alarni upon the energization of each solenoid. lf desired an illuminating means, as a lamp 61, may be also arranged within the Ieasing and energized from any suitable source, whereby to maintain a constant illumination within the case in rear of the ribbon, renderiiifthe sign characters on the ribbon more legible. In energizing the conductor 49 in the use of the a paratus With an overhead trolley car, I pre cr to lead said conductor through the trolley pole and to a contact shoe 62 ofset and insulated from the main trolley pole and yalso provide the trolley wire' 63 with ollset Contact sections 64k in electrical connectionrivith said wire and in a position to be engaged by the shoe (59., as the trolley pole travels along the trolley wire.

In energizing the apparatusl in its use on other than electric railroads, one rail of the track may be bonded and energized to provide a continuous electrical conductor. At

proper intervals,rthat is immediately preceding the station which is to be noted onl the indicator, the bonded rail is provided with oi'set contact sections 65 in electrical connection with the rail,`and arranged to be` engaged' by shoes 66 carried `by the car and in electrical connection with the con-y ductor 49'. One of the ribbon shafts, preferably the upper, is extended beyond the casing in the torm of an operating rod 67, said rod being terminally provided with a head 68 for convenient operation, Throughoperation of the rod (ST after throwin out the particular interfering pawl, the ribbon may be manually adjusted 1n a simple manner toa dispose; any particular indicating data opposite the opening 38.

The operatin of the improvement will be fully obvious from the above description taken in connection with .the drawings,l it being understood that after operation of the properrod 3() or 3l to infiuence the feed of .the ribbon in the proper direction, and the minal of the car travel necessitating simply the throwing out of one pawl and the throwing in of the other, the switches being correspondingly changed.

The parts areiof simple construction and are particularly associated with a view to avoi ing undue bulk or Weight.` Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is :w

A station indicator comprising a casing, a plurality ofrolls mounted in vertical alinement in the casing, a gear carried at each end of each roll, a master gear mounted to engage each alined pair of' roll gears and cooperating to simultaneously aetuate the respective roll gears of each pair ino .posit/e directions, a ratchet connected to eac master gear, the ratchets being disposed for.

reverse operation, a pair of electrically connected solenoids arranged beneath 'each I ratchet, a bar connecting the cores of each pair of solenoids, an arm projecting from the bar, a pawl pivotally mounted on the arm and formed to engage the ratchet teeth, said arm being extended beyond the point of connection `With the vpawl, and a spring bearing between the pawl and the extended porL tion of the arm to normally maintain the pawl in engagement Wit-h the ratchet. "In testiinon whereof I aliX my signature in presence or two Witnesses.

ALBERT EDWIN REDIFER. Witnesses:

GEO. N. HURD, P. SAN'ros RUIZ.v 

